Usdaw seeks to tackle the far-right and remove age discrimination from redundancy pay

Joanne Thomas - Usdaw general secretary says: “It is horrifying that unions, co-ordinated by the TUC, are having to prioritise developing strategies to tackle the far-right and incredibly worrying that popular support for extreme right-wing parties has grown to levels we have not seen since the 1930s. Trade unions have a crucial role in creating a fairer and more equal society, and we are now working with a Labour Government that is undoing the damage done to our society by 14 years of Conservative rule. The scale of the task is huge. With the far-right seeking to exploit the very real frustrations of working people to fuel the politics of hate and division, we are calling on Labour to be bold in its vision, to push back on far-right narratives and continue to commit to delivering for working people.

“Young workers, like all workers, need and deserve a fair deal at work. We welcome the Government’s revised remit for the Low Pay Commission last year to help eliminate the wage disparity for young people in the National Minimum Wage. The Employment Rights Bill also includes several commitments that will have a positive impact on young workers, including helping to tackle one sided flexibility. The next step is looking at other age-related employment provisions with a view to removing all age-related discrimination. The Government has committed to gathering further views on strengthening the collective redundancy framework in 2025. Any further review of redundancy provisions must address the entrenched age-discrimination within Statutory Redundancy Pay.

“As AI becomes more integrated into our workplaces, we must harness its benefits while ensuring responsible use and safeguarding the interests of the workforce. AI should enhance work, not replace it. We must ensure that AI is used to free up staff time, increase productivity and maintain high-quality employment, rather than undermine job security. Among a range of measures, Usdaw is calling on the Government to ensure that employers are required to undertake and act on the findings of Equality Impact Assessments before implementing AI and develop frameworks for responsible AI use, ensuring workers' voices are heard and their rights safeguarded. This must include strong protections against the use of Algorithmic Management Decisions throughout recruitment and employment processes.

“There is a growing number of neurodivergent workers, including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and other conditions. Despite protections under the Equality Act 2010, many still face discrimination, inaccessible recruitment processes, and lack of workplace support. We welcome the increasing awareness of neurodiversity across unions and employers, but national action is urgently needed. Among a range of measures, Usdaw is calling for inclusion of neurodivergent needs in workplace health and safety law, including manager training and sensory risk assessments; support for parents and carers of neurodiverse individuals, and research into the experiences of and challenges facing neurodiverse workers, to ensure that our strategies are grounded in their lived experience.”